On Adapting Playstyle

[Mercman572]

In small stakes we often advocate playing ABC poker: "Tight is right," "Just fire a CB, fold to a raise." When a player at a 25NL table thinks someone might be playing back, we say "Players don't adapt fold."

We may or may not be right in saying this. The most important part of successful poker is adapting to the table conditions. For most small stakes games, that often DOES mean playing tight agressive. But we shouldn't forget why. It's because most SSNL opponents will simply play their cards, and play too many of them. So by playing TA you enter pots with better hands than they do on average and are in more +EV situations because of it.

When the table is weak we open raise more to steal blinds or buy position. When we continually do this and a weak player finally raises us, however, we become unsure of whether they are playing back and we should call. Most weak players don't adapt, so at least for the first time this happens you can reasonably say "No, they're not playing back" and fold.

Your continuation bets are getting called way too frequently. Is it because your opponents are hitting, or because you have being CB'ing too frequenttly? Ultimately this is something you have to decide for yourself.

The important thing, IMHO, is that you always question what you do and question the consequences your actions have. It took me a 6 buyin downswing to realize that a huge leak was consistently CBing into Lags that would call and bet any checked turn. If we can avoid ruts like this by constantly questing what's going wrong we can save ALOT of money. If you decide your regular style is still fine and variance is to blame then so be it, but think before you come to that conclusion rather than assume it and you'll be richer for it.

[4_2_it]

Nice post. Couple of other random thoughts. Don't CB or bluff a calling station, you are flushing money down the toilet. Most villains at Party NL$25 barely exhibit 1st level thinking, don't give them credit for third level thinking until you see them do it more than once or twice.

[mosuavea]

Nice post. I agree that CB can eb a leak for many. You absolutely have to keep in mind your opponent and the texture of the board when throwing out CBs.

As Four, a sure fire way to lose some cash is CBing calling stations. Know your opponents and adapt accordingly.

[Mercman572]

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Nice post. Couple of other random thoughts. Don't CB or bluff a calling station, you are flushing money down the toilet. Most villains at Party NL$25 barely exhibit 1st level thinking, don't give them credit for third level thinking until you see them do it more than once or twice.

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Nice, forgot to mention the obvious. If someone really is playing back or thinking on another level, you can catch wind of it quickly in 6 max so I definitely agree that you shouldn't worry about it after one or two instances.

[beeyjay]

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CBing into Lags that would call and bet any checked turn.

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Theres so much value here in the other direction its ludicrous.

[Mercman572]

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CBing into Lags that would call and bet any checked turn.

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Theres so much value here in the other direction its ludicrous.

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Hmm don't get what you mean. Not firing CB's into lags? Or calling against people that do this and betting when they check the turn? The problem with doing that if the player is TA is they often do that with top pair for pot control. Of course against lags that fire any flop and give up on the turn, by all means use position [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[beeyjay]

I mean calling it with the idea of betting the turn. I think you're overestimating how often tags hit their hands. bet 2/3s pot on turn after he checks. Those TAs are so weak theyll probably give you a free showdown and if not you can get away from your hand really easily.

[Andrew Fletcher]

This is so obvious and yet so many people in this forum regard this type of thinking as evil or wrong. Thanks for the post.